Installing SQL Express

This help file applies to an out-of-date version of MainBoss.
The most recent version of MainBoss is MainBoss 4.2.4.
This help file does not exist in MainBoss 4.2.4, but the index for that version can be found here.

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The following description assumes that you do not have any instance of SQL Server installed on your computer. To determine whether you do have such an installation, go to the Windows Control Panel and check "Add/Remove Programs" (Windows XP and Windows Server 2003) or "Programs and Features" (Windows Vista, Server 2008 or Windows 7).

Microsoft recommends that SQL Express be installed with a limited permission set and/or as a limited user. For information on this process, see

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143504.aspx

If you ever intend to have multiple users, we offer the following suggestions as options to choose during installation. Your site might decide to make different choices, but our suggestions should help typical users find their way through the many possibilities.

Unless otherwise stated below, we recommend that you accept the default options in each phase of the installation.

• In the Instance Configuration phase of the installation, specify a suitable name for this instance of the server. The default is SQLEXPRESS; however, if you are only going to use this instance of the server for MainBoss, you might specify the name MAINBOSS to make it clear what the instance is being used for.
• In the Database Engine Configuration phase, in the Data Directories section, you have the ability to specify a backup directory: the default location for backup files. Ideally, this should be a directory on a different computer than the one holding the original database files—you don't want your originals and your backups to be on the same computer, because if something happens to that computer, you lose everything.
  
  Also in the Database Engine Configuration phase, in the Account Provisioning section, you can specify who will have administration permissions on this instance of SQL Server. By default, the list will only contain your own name (i.e. the name of the person installing SQL Express). If someone else will be in charge of adding new users to MainBoss, that person will also need SQL Server administration permissions and should be added to the list.
• In the Server Configuration phase, set the SQL Server Browser's startup type to Automatic.
  
  You should also set the account name(s) to be associated with the database engine and the browser. We suggest that Network Service is the best choice (NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE). However, the Network Service account is local to this specific computer and typically won't be able to access other computers. This means that SQL Server won't be able to write database backups to other computers. If the current computer has multiple disks, this is acceptable, since you can write backups to a different disk than the one that holds your original database. However, if the current computer has only one disk, this is a problem—writing backups to the same disk that holds your original database gives you almost no protection, since disk problems will likely affect both your original and your backups. In this case, specify an account name with permissions that can write to another disk on another computer.
  
  If you specify an account name other than Network Service to run the database engine, you must ensure that this account is authorized to run services. For information on how to authorize an account for Log on as a service permission, see the Log On As A Service subsection of Installing MainBoss Service.

The options above constitute a standard configuration for use with MainBoss Advanced. They match Microsoft's recommendations for SQL Server. If you make different configuration choices, you may find you have to make changes in future; also, if you run into trouble, MainBoss Technical Support may recommend that you reset your SQL Server options as listed above.

SQL Express Installation Notes: After installing SQL Express, you must enable TCP/IP connections. This process is described in this guide, in the section SQL Server Configuration.

If you intend to connect with SQL Express from other computers, you must also adjust the Server computer's firewall to allow remote users to connect with the SQL Server and the SQL Server Browser. This process is explained in Adjusting the Firewall.

Finally, you may have to adjust your local security settings to allow access to shared files. This process is explained in Local Security Settings.

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